Hebrews 1:9 - Printer Friendly

ESV: You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness beyond your companions.”

NIV: You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions by anointing you with the oil of joy.'

NASB: YOU HAVE LOVED RIGHTEOUSNESS AND HATED LAWLESSNESS; THEREFORE God, YOUR God, HAS ANOINTED YOU WITH THE OIL OF JOY ABOVE YOUR COMPANIONS.'

CSB: You have loved righteousnessand hated lawlessness;this is why God, your God,has anointed youwith the oil of joybeyond your companions.

NLT: You love justice and hate evil. Therefore, O God, your God has anointed you, pouring out the oil of joy on you more than on anyone else.'

KJV: Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.

NKJV: You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness; Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You With the oil of gladness more than Your companions.”

This verse continues a quotation of Psalm 45:6–7, which is mentioned to show that the Messiah is invested with an everlasting throne and godly authority. Hebrews 1:7 gave a contrasting reference to angels as servants, with shifting characteristics. This Old Testament reference, begun in verse 8, is meant to prove that Jesus Christ is clearly not an angel or some other created being.

Psalm 45:7, quoted here in Hebrews 1:9, again emphasizes the moral status of this king. This pair of verses (with Psalm 45:6, quoted in Hebrews 1:8) also frames a prophecy about the nature of David's lineage. The Messiah is the ultimate fulfillment of this promise: that David's line would never end and his throne would be established forever. As is often the case with the Old Testament, there are multiple layers of meaning involved. While the Psalm most directly applies to the wedding of an earthly king, Hebrews shows how it also gives application for understanding the Promised One, Jesus.

Hebrews 1:5–14 uses a collection of Old Testament quotations. These are used to support the claims made in verses 1 through 4. In particular, the writer is explaining that Jesus Christ is not merely some angelic being or a created spiritual power. He is the exact nature of God and above all other authorities. Since this letter is written to a Jewish audience, this use of Old Testament material is crucial and would have been especially effective. This explanation continues through the entire second chapter of Hebrews.

Chapter 1 starts off with an immediate appeal to God's communication with mankind. It also establishes the divinity of Jesus Christ. Hebrews describes Jesus as superior to all other beings and all other claims. The first area where Jesus is elevated is with respect to angels. Using direct quotations from the Old Testament, this chapter clearly demonstrates that Jesus is above, beyond, and far more than every angel. This theme will continue through chapter 2.

The first chapter of Hebrews establishes two primary ideas used to support the rest of the book. First, that God has spoken to mankind, most recently through Jesus, so we ought to be listening to Him. Secondly, chapter 1 introduces the fact that Jesus is superior to other spiritual beings, such as angels. These concepts are used to support the superiority of faith in Christ, over the Old Testament Law, expressed in the book's later chapters.

The book of Hebrews is meant to challenge, encourage, and empower Christian believers. According to this letter, Jesus Christ is superior to all other prophets and all other claims to truth. Since God has given us Christ, we ought to listen to what He says and not move backwards. The consequences of ignoring God are dire. Hebrews is important for drawing on many portions of the Old Testament in making a case that Christ is the ultimate and perfect expression of God's plan for mankind. This book presents some tough ideas about the Christian faith, a fact the author makes specific note of.

Accessed 5/7/2024 10:13:15 PM